Band members to hold benefit for fellow musician

A serious car accident on May 19 involving a local musician and music teacher is bringing together fellow musicians from near and far for a benefit concert to aide in what will likely be a long recovery period.

After learning local bassist, vocalist and member of the band Reignfall, Benjamin Dressler, had been in a serious car accident requiring many surgeries and a long recovery period, Dressler’s band mates and friends have decided to come together June 14 to help keep him financially stable while he recovers from his injuries.

At 7 a.m., on the Tuesday after the Victoria Day weekend, Dressler collided with a transport truck at an intersection on his way to work.

“(Ben) was airlifted to London after an accident where he collided with a transport truck and he had life-threatening injuries,” explained Stephanie Martin, Ben’s boss at Deep Waters Music in St. Marys and the mother of Reignfall’s lead vocalist and guitar-player, Dustin Smith. “He’s in the hospital and he’s gone through several surgeries and had quite extensive injuries.”

Dressler’s injuries included many broken bones, a cracked pelvis, a spine fracture, a punctured diaphragm, a broken femur, a ripped aorta and a cut lung. In saving Dressler’s life, doctors also had to remove his spleen and Dressler has undergone extensive plastic surgery on his hand to remove a large amount of glass.

“So basically we wanted to do a benefit to raise some money, because obviously it’s going to be quite a while before he’s recovered and able to go back to work,” Martin explained.

Having already booked the Pyramid Centre in St. Marys on June 14 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. for Deep Waters Music and Skyline Studios’ annual music student showcase, Martin and Smith decided to host the benefit immediately afterward, from 5 to 9 p.m. Luckily for them, and to support a member of the community, Pyramid Centre staff offered to waive the rental fees for the day.

The first live act, Juno-nominated artist and former David Bowie keyboardist Emm Gryner, will play at the beginning of the student showcase.

“The reason she’s opening up for these guys is – and she’s also part of (the band) Trent Severn – Dustin’s band Reignfall, they opened up for Emm’s band Trapper because they had to hold a fundraiser to cover some of the costs to go out (on tour) with Def Leppard, so that’s how Ben got to know Emm,” Martin recalled. “She’s got a show (with Trent Severn) in Chatham that day (June 14), but she was like whatever. So (Ben and Dustin) supported Emm, and now she’s supporting Ben.”

After the music student showcase, those who wish to come out and support Dressler will be treated to live music by Reignfall – minus Dressler, but with the addition of Martin as a back-up vocalist – as well as live music by Blues-player Stevie P., Les Smith and Fresh Horses, Broken Remarks, local country musician Darcy John, and some acoustic selections by Lucas Smith.

“The benefit (and the music student showcase) is open to the public. (Admission) is going to be a donation at the door, and then there will be an area for kids – it’s a family event – and we’re going to have a silent auction. So we want people to come out, enjoy some music and know they’re doing it for a good cause,” Martin said, adding that she is currently accepting donations for the silent auction.

To donate to the silent auction, call Martin at Deep Waters Music at 519-301-1187.

Those who come out to the concert don’t have to stay for the whole day, but if they want to watch both the music students and the live entertainment, Martin says they are more than welcome to do so.